Cillian Murphy

"It's easy to take the check, you know, but if you want to have any longevity, just take things that have artistic merit in them. I want to do quality. If it's good telly, I'll do it. If it's good theater, I'll do it." - Cillian Murphy, on choosing his roles.

As a result of Cillian’s reluctance to step into the limelight, very little is known about his private life. He’s been married since 2004, to Yvonne McGuinness, though this certainly hasn’t stopped Cillian’s female fans from pining after him. And who can blame them? He possesses the sort of off-kilter looks that must be a refreshing change from the vacuous hunks that generally populate the multiplex.

SUCCESS

Though he had appeared in well over a dozen films before hitting the big time in 2002, Cillian has managed to retain his quirky sensibilities even in such big-budget extravaganzas as Batman Begins and Sunshine. As a result, his work has been singled out by such organizations as the Golden Globes, the MTV Movie Awards and the Teen Choice Awards.

Cillian’s certainly reached the point where most people recognize him walking down the street, though he seems to have managed to avoid the sort of madness that tends to accompany such superstars as Brad Pitt and Tobey Maguire.

Cillian Murphy Biography

Cillian Murphy was born on May 25, 1976, in Douglas, Ireland. The eldest of three siblings -- brother Pádraig and sisters Sile and Orla -- Cillian grew up in a household that emphasized artistic achievements over scholastic concerns and he consequently discovered his creative side at a very early age. By the time he was just 10 years old, Cillian announced his intentions to become a rock star when he grew up; to that end, the young boy started learning how to play guitar and eventually joined a series of local bands.

His first taste of acting came as a 16-year-old, when he signed up for a drama class being taught by the director of a local theater company. Cillian’s passion for performance was put on hold, however, as his band The Sons of Mr. Greengenes was growing in popularity among local music fans. And in 1996, Cillian and his fellow musicians were offered a recording contract by Acid Jazz Records (they turned it down). That same year, Cillian started taking law classes at a local college -- although, as a result of his lack of enthusiasm for his studies he wound up failing his first-year exams.

cillian murphy in the tale of sweety barrett

While still in college, Cillian successfully auditioned for a role in the school’s production of Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme and it wasn’t long before the would-be actor found himself hankering for more high-profile gigs on the stage. Cillian tried out for the central role in the Corcadorca Theatre Company’s production of Disco Pigs. The play became an instant hit in his native Ireland and Cillian soon found himself touring with the production across Europe and North America.

Cillian’s searing work in the production brought him to the attention of film producers and directors, and the actor was soon a regular fixture on Ireland’s auditioning scene. After landing a role in a 1997 short film, Cillian made his cinematic debut in 1998's The Tale of Sweety Barrett. The film, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, has yet to receive any kind of North American release, and Cillian spent the next several years appearing in one similarly obscure European effort after another, including 1999's Eviction and 2001's On the Edge.

cillian murphy in 28 days later

Cillian’s big break came in 2002, after he landed the lead role in Danny Boyle’s highly anticipated zombie flick, 28 Days Later. The film, which also features appearances by Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson and Christopher Eccleston, managed to capitalize on the recent rejuvenation of the zombie genre and eventually went on to gross almost $100 million at the worldwide box office. Doors that had been shut for Cillian were now wide open, and the burgeoning superstar spent 2003 appearing opposite one Hollywood A-lister after another -- including Colin Farrell (Intermission), Scarlett Johansson (Girl with a Pearl Earring) and Natalie Portman (Cold Mountain).

cillian murphy in batman begins

Cillian’s suddenly ubiquitous presence caught the eye of filmmaker Christopher Nolan, who was gearing up to tackle Warner’s much-ballyhooed reboot of the Batman series. Cillian, along with such actors as Billy Crudup, Joshua Jackson and Jake Gyllenhaal, auditioned for the central role of Batman/Bruce Wayne, and although he lost the part to Christian Bale, Cillian was invited to step into the shoes of the villainous Scarecrow (a role that he’s rumored to be reprising in the upcoming Batman sequel, The Dark Knight).

That same year, Cillian terrorized Rachel McAdams in Wes Craven’s Red Eye, and subsequently cemented his status as one of the most versatile and interesting new actors on the Hollywood scene.

cillian murphy in sunshine

After landing a Golden Globe nomination for his work as a transvestite in 2005's Breakfast on Pluto, Cillian reteamed with 28 Days Later director Danny Boyle for the cerebral science-fiction tale Sunshine (which also featured appearances by Chris Evans, Rose Byrne and Michelle Yeoh). Cillian also appears in several 2007 and 2008 films, including a Lucy Liu comedy called Watching the Detectives and a historical drama costarring Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller entitled The Edge of Love.